“Gym Floor Tile”

Jack’s studio in the Pioneer building made him the neighbor of many artists and artisans who also rented studios in the building. There was a group organized “Tile Art Show” where different artists were all asked to make a “tile” of some kind. Jack designed three tiles for the show, one of which was this “Gym Floor Tile.”

The concept was a play on the myth of how gym floors are constructed (with giant metal springs underneath to absorb the shock of jumping athletes), and pretend that the gym floor was constructed in a more peculiar manner…using small tiles, each with their own spring and the corresponding playfield stripes already painted on them…to be assembled jigsaw puzzle style during construction. The tile went unsold at the art show and is currently owned by Ben Blackwell of Third Man Records.